


Spellbound

by gutterfortunecookie



Category: Lee Pace - Fandom, The Fall (2006)
Genre: Accidents, Angst, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Imprisonment, Rescue, Smut, Story within a Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-07 16:12:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5462915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gutterfortunecookie/pseuds/gutterfortunecookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Roy Walker comforts a hurt woman from his past before his fall.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Falling Stars

 

 

 

“Annie! We need more makeup!”

The young girl lifted her head in the direction of one of the assistants as she wiped the sweat from her head. It was the last day she would be on set before she left to go back to the city. One more day of being a lackey to the shining stars and she would finally be on her way back to the small dance company that she called her home.

She ran with her satchel at her shoulder as she ran through the sun. She didn’t want her skin to burn because it would show in the costumes. Annie’s bark colored hair began to untangle as she stopped next to the cowboy.

“Who needs me?”

No one turned in her direction.

“How about I just strip naked?”

Most of the men turned in her direction with the exception of the cowboy as he kept his eyes focused on the lead actress.

“Was someone in need of me or may I go home?”

“Him. He needs a touch up, we have one last shot left.”

All the men turned away and got back into position as they rehearsed their lines. She rolled her eyes to the cowboy as she swatted his shoulder. Still not noticing her, she reached up and turned his head to her and left a bold kiss on his lips. She pulled away and kept her hand attached to his jaw as she brushed on the last of his makeup.

“Done,” she said stepping back.

“You really shouldn’t have done that.”

“You wouldn’t answer me and I slap like a girl.”

“If you put on too much makeup, the camera won’t be able to see our face.”

“Why do you care? You’re a stun man and she’s not going to notice you, you know.”

“That’s my girlfriend.”

“Yeah, sure. I didn’t see you with your arms around her last night.”

Annie turned to go as his hand shot up and yanked her back.

“You shouldn’t say things like that,” he hissed calmly under his breath.

He looked down to the faded birthmark on the outside of her wrist that almost looked like a constellation of stars.

“Why not? Everyone else knows, everyone else has seen. Ask them. I’m the only one that will tell you.”

She had seen him from afar for the past summer that she worked. She watched him as she stretched in the mornings and again at night as she practiced her pirouettes. She knew he longed for the actress that was more graceful than she was and more beautiful.

Annie turned on her heel and stormed away as she felt the man that she had pined for let go of her hand. Others watched her walk away in tears and hurt as they asked what he had said to her but she didn’t care. She would be gone, never to come back or see any of their faces or his face especially ever again.

-

_Dear Lord in Heaven!_

_It was from the fall, I swear!_

_There was so much clatter and her skin, God! She looked like a blueberry!_

_There is something wrong with her leg. The medication will continue to course her system until she wakes and when she does, she will be in pain. Does she have a next of kin?_

He was about to close his suitcase as he looked out his window to the commotion. There were police cars and all of the men that were attending to the ladies in tears. He listened as close as he could to the many conversations outside of the hospital. The nuns had taken count of seven girls and five men, all dancers. The fifth man was one of the dancers but dressed in a suit. He was giving his story of how his dance studio had caught on fire with everyone that got out safe. His attention went for the loudest and most hysterical of the girls that give her story.

She was a blonde young woman that got the sympathy of the male dancers and the jealous scowls of all the women. Roy could tell he didn’t care for her all that much. His own eyes went for the last ambulance to arrive as the blonde pointed to the car. The orderlies ran from the stretcher with a young woman covered in smoke. She was gasping for breath as she howled in pain. Her body was strapped to the bed as she flailed.

The young woman’s face had been covered with a great amount of smoke but no part of her was burned. An orderly tucked her hair onto the gurney as Roy watched closely. Her arm reached for her heavily bruised leg as he saw something on her waist. The only part of her arm that was clean was at her waist as he spotted the familiar constellation of birthmarks that was burned into the back of his mind for the past year.

“Annie!”

The man in the suit rushed towards the gurney but comforted the blonde as the rest of the dancers looked at him then to Annie in surprise and utter shock. The dancers were ushered inside away from Annie as police followed behind. Roy stepped into the hall, practically unseen to the events unfolding in front of him.

“That tramp set the place on fire. You should really arrest her!”

“And I bet she pushed her down the stairs too! Doris only has a sprained toe and she fell down the stairs too!”

“Ma’am, we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”

“Then ask the tramp! Annie’s leg is almost in two because of her! I’m telling you, it was that jealous slut!”

“Peggy!”

“You slipped on a pipe, Doris! What the hell was a pipe doing in the building?”

“Ladies! That dance hall was 80 years old. Things like this do happen…”

Roy turned to go back to his room for a better view of Annie. Her voice carried across the hall as he saw orderly hold her down. One of the doctors rushed to her side and injected her with medicine as she began to calm down. She rested her head on the pillow as she turned her head to the window. She smiled as Roy caught her eyes, her hand reached up to her face as she lazily swatted something from her cheek.

There was a rush of people that flooded his room. Photographers were pushing staff into Roy’s room to get a picture as a few of the sisters ran for help. One of them, he wasn’t exactly sure who, had knocked him from his feet in the panic, making him fall to the ground as his hand hit the hall floor above his head.

All of the excitement had clouded him from the gurney wheel that had run over his left wrist. Roy’s voice echoed the halls, silencing everyone that was in an earshot. The photographers stopped their cameras as the nuns and cops shooed them away. He roared in pain as Roy was lifted from the floor, feeling pain jolt up his arm.

He looked down to Annie as Roy was led away somewhere that was quiet.

-

“There is no more room and he is insisting that the dancer stay together out of fear of sickness.”

“We can’t do that! Mr. Walker was minutes away from leaving. He has been here for a year and now he has a bruised wrist! What is he going to do in the hospital for another week?!”

“The man is paying for the medical expenses and is donating to the hospital on top of that. We will find a room for her.”

“You want to put her in the children’s ward? She curses in her sleep and the children don’t need to be learning an obscene vocabulary. She’ll have to be moved to another hospital.”

“Let them have my bed!”

Roy woke from the chair he was propped in.

“Mr. Walker, we can’t do that.”

One of the doctors had come to his side as he checked Roy’s wrist.

“The attic in the north wing will be good for her. Annie.”

“You know her, Mr. Walker?”

“The movie that I sus…tained my injury, she was the makeup girl. She was so kind-hearted. She doesn’t like a lot of noise. The room is right above the morgue and she can rest there until she is better.”

“And you know this how?”

“Alexandria would go up there all the time.”

“Even if we could, where would you go? In the same room as her? We would never allow that?”

“She has no family! She has no one.”

“Doctor, there are no other available beds but there are ones in the north wing.”

“I’ll be gone in a few days. I’ll be no bother and I can keep her company until you find room in a larger hospital.”

The first doctor ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

“As long as you don’t tell any of the other dancers where she is. She has been traumatized and doesn’t need any more excitement. I’ll even have an orderly at the stairs.”

Roy nodded his head as he slowly started to give in to the medicine for his wrist. This indeed was going to be a strange story to tell.

_He could hear the twinkling of a musical jewelry box as the top creaked open. The notes one by one fill his ears. His eyes filled with the constellation of stars. No, not stars. They were diamonds that fell onto the floor. Prisms of color filled the darkness as the diamonds began to roll one by one, twirling on their points. The soft music led him forward as the diamonds grew, forming to one another until it was a large mass._

_There was a piercing sound for a moment as the large diamond broke open into a flat surface. The edges smoothed into what looked like a marionette. The body looked over its shoulder to him as it covered the front of its surface. The dazzling edges smoothed more as a breath-taking woman took the standing diamond’s place._

_No, it, she. She was the diamond as her cold, icy stare petrified him. She held out her hand to him as he stepped forward. Through the blood red mask, she smiled with her harsh eyes as she called his name, his true name._

_“Bandit…”_

_The thunder of his boots could be heard in the disappearing dark as he stopped in front of her._

_“Mi Anja…”_

_He reached up with his gloved hand to her as the moon reflected fully from her skin. He was blinded as he reached for her, for the apparition as she fell back, screaming for help as her dark hair streamed behind her._


	2. Bright like a diamond

 

Roy finished his stew as quickly as he could so he could take his Morphine. Now that he was moving from his past, he had regained his appetite he enjoyed from his youth. He embraced the pain in his wrist, eating as much bread as he could manage for the night ahead. The pain was something he missed as well.

The nuns were glad to leave a pitcher of water for the both of them should they have needed it. Summer in California was grueling enough and the repair man would be there tomorrow to fix the large fan for their room. He wore a pair of sleeping trousers under his night shirt to be mindful and modest to her feminine roommate. His medicine was starting to kick in as the orderly helped him to his bed.

He looked over to the bed on the other side of the room to Annie as she was sound asleep. Her legs up to her knees were complete uncovered as her right knee was wrapped up to perfection, possibly by Sister Evelyn. From what he could see, her dark hair cascaded over her pillows as she moaned in her sleep. Her sweating skin shined in the overhead light of his bed. He hit his cot with a light thud as the orderly covered him with the bedsheet and left. Roy’s head started to spin as he slowly closed his eyes.

 _Annie_.

He could still she her as she walked away in tears. He called out her name but soon gave up as he looked but to tall heroine waving in her clean white dress. One more shot and the rest of the week would be theirs. He could no longer feel the wind on his face as turned to look back to the set that was no longer there.

_His eyes were filled with darkness as he heard people guests moving in the colliders ahead of him. With each step forward, the halls filled with more light._

_“This way! This way!”_

_His coat flowed in a dark river behind him as he drew his hood higher on his head. He placed his grand hat at the top of his brow as if he were royalty. He stepped into the grand ballroom with the others as he took a seat near the north window. Wine filled his goblet as many of the guests conversed with one another._

_No one looked in his direction, no one knew who he was or even care if the room was set on fire. He closed his eyes feeling a warm energy fill the room that nearly compared to the edge of the mightiest deserts. Hushes filled his ears as his eyes flew open. A single chime filled the room as a young woman appeared in the middle, under the magnanimous chandelier. From the soft candle light, he could see the soft twinkling of her skin._

_The young woman was covered in a soft silk with only her head, neck, arms and the better part of her legs showing. Her dark hair was twisted high up upon her head and away from her face._

_“She is so beautiful.”_

_“The Prince is very lucky to have one such as her.”_

_Another chime was heard as she threw her arms open. Gasps were heard as the candle light reflected from her skin. He leaned forward on his pillow as he looked to the brand on her arm. The marvelousness of her diamond skin was enough to distract everyone from the brand that showed the seal belonging to the prince._

_The same two chimes arrived one after another as she slowly started to move back and forth. She swept one arm around her head as she slowly arched herself back. A stray bit of moonlight caught the column of her neck as everyone marveled her. The woman opened her eyes of blue ice as they looked directly to him._

_One word swept through the crowd like wildfire._

_Anja…_

_“That isn’t possible.”_

_The chimes stopped as a soft jewelry box melody started. Anja was jerked upright as if something was controlling her. Most would have seen it as passionate but he knew the music was controlling her as she tried to stop herself. She spun on her feet as the silks begged for her to slow but the harder the notes played the more she was thrown into her dance. She was indeed beautiful as he gazed upon her through his blood red mask._

_Tears fell from her eyes as she moved faster and more wildly. He watched as one of her tears landed on the floor at his feet. She leapt with all her might, crying as the light shown from her skin. She wanted to cry out for help but the music swept her away, not giving her a chance to stop._

_When the music in the hall seized, Anja had fallen to the floor, exhausted as the guests got to their feet and applauded her. He looked down to the once grand nobility heaped to the floor as the prince appeared. He swooped her from the marble floor and snaked an arm around her waist. The clapping haunted his ears as the prince pulled Anja close and pressed a forced, harsh kiss to her lips. She tried pushing her hand up to stop him but it was no use as he tilted her back to deepen the kiss._

_He clenched his fist as well as his jaw as she trembled in his arms, knowing she had no choice but to accept the prince’s advances. She was pushed away to a waiting guard as the guests kept their eyes on the prince. He thanked his guests, distracting them as Anja’s wrists were bound._

_The man kept his eyes on her as she looked to the center of the room as another woman covered in various scales took her place. Anja was all but forgotten as the second woman, dressed so scandalously began to dance as she writhed and twisted on the floor._

_Anja…_

_She was the one that led him from his pillow as he moved through the shadows behind the guard that led her away. Her hardened footsteps were heard as she was lead to the tower that belonged to her._

_The guard stopped, shooting his hand up in front of her as a dark grin crossed his lips._

_“I’ll let you walk around the castle tonight if you give me a kiss.”_

_He watched as the guard inched closer to her. Anja stepped back and swept her nails across his face as he howled in pain. She grabbed his keys and ran for her room. He watched from the shadows as Anja closed her bedroom door behind her and slipped her arm through the bars to lock herself in. She flung the keys behind her and stepped back from the doors as the guard tried to reach in after her. The guard was dragged away as she sank to the floor with her head in her hands. He looked over his mask to the woman, the once forgotten princess as she sobbed into her hands. For a moment her diamond surface had disappeared and returned to normal._

_He disappeared into the shadows as more guards appeared to stand watch at her door, giving him no more time to be with her._

_Tomorrow, he promised himself, tomorrow he would free her from her gilded cage._


	3. The dance of a snake

 

His stomach woke him as one of the nuns and a doctor entered their room. Annie mumbled as she was lifted to a waiting wheel chair. Her hair cascaded her shoulders and face making a vail of brown hair as her whole body stiffened. The nun had accidently brushed Annie’s knee as she softly cried out.

Roy watched as her tiny fingers wrapped painfully around the arms of the wheelchair. She split her lip trying to remain quiet as the wheels slowly turned and the chair was moved from the room. Roy looked out the window, seeing the start of dawn as a silhouette cast a shadow on his bedside curtain.

“Mr. Walker?”

“Yes.”

The doctor pulled the curtain back as he smiled down to Roy.

“Sorry to wake you but I figured I’d check on you since I was here.”

“No, it’s fine. I was already awake.”

Roy sat up in his bed as the doctor unwrapped his hand and looked at the bruising.

“You are a very lucky man, Mr. Walker. That stretcher should have damaged your wrist more.”

“I’ve never really been one with luck.”

“Your spine healed.”

“That was medicine, Doc.”

The doctor smiled as he rewrapped Roy’s wrist and placed ice on the inside of his sling to help with the swelling.

“Your arm should be better in a day or two, three at most.”

“Thank you, Doc. Did you… uh… tell her I was in here with her?”

“That is for you to say, Mr. Walker. Every one of the other dancers confirmed her having no next of kin, so until a few days’ time, she is your responsibility.”

Roy felt the air knocked from his chest as he heard these words and was completely speechless. The minute the doctor left the room, a large grin crossed his face. He had waited for a better part of an hour as he waited for Annie. With the morning beginning to move on, Roy had gotten himself half decently dressed and put his arm in the sling that was provided to him.

Another week and all of this would be no more to him. He sat at a small table outside as he ate his porridge in peace. He sat outside the window that belonged to him previously and listened to the dancers start their day. They complained about the heat and about where they would go next after they left the hospital. Not one time did they say anything about Annie? She was one of them, or so he thought.

He finished his breakfast and wondered around the courtyard as the pain slowly returned to his wrist. Sister Evelyn had rushed from the main hall as she found Roy.

“Mr. Walker! We have been looking for you!”

“Have I done something wrong?”

“Miss Hollis is not speaking to anyone and we think she is traumatized, some police are coming to speak with her later and were don’t know what to tell them about her.”

“I don’t understand what you are asking me to do.”

“The Doctor said you were responsible for her. You should be there with her now.”

“Okay.”

Roy followed Sister Evelyn back to his room as he held sobbing from the end of the hall. An orderly shook his head as he left the room with a half-eaten bowl of porridge. He closed the door behind him and looked to Annie’s bed. The sheet hanging around her bed had covered most of her bed, giving her slightly darkened privacy to her side of the room.

From what he could hear, she had stopped crying the moment he entered the room. She had tried to move her leg, making her cry out for a moment as she loved her legs back onto the pillow.

“Have they given you medicine yet?”

The shifting of her bed had stopped. Roy sat in the rocking chair next to his bed, feeling the bruising around his wrist.

“I’m going to wait to take mine in a little bit. I’ve been here for the better part of the year. I was in an accident, nearly bedridden. By some happy miracle, I got better and soon I’ll get to go home.”

Silence.

“There’s not much to do here, just good old R&R really, the most fun we ever have is to tell stories to the children if they ever find you.”

He did his best to seem cheerful and inviting so she would say something but still, he got nothing.

“I can tell you one if you like, to take your mind off of the pain.”

Still there was silence. He prayed that something would come from her but she remained quiet.

“Okay, let’s see. Once in a far off desert a long, long time ago, was grand kingdom hidden by the harshest of sandstorms. Only the select few travelers that were chosen were able to cross the deserts and enjoy the riches of a vast kingdom. The prince of the kingdom was extremely wealthy and always kept his guests entertained. There was no wish that he could refuse to any of his guests because it was a reward if they made it to his palace.”

Roy closed his eyes and let his mind wonder as he did before with Alexandria.

“Most saw him as giving and kind but what they didn’t know was that he was secretly devious and preyed upon those whom never made it through the deserts. For anyone that didn’t survive, he took their lands, their wealth and spread a false hope throughout the land like his father before him and no ever suspected a thing for his family was the one that started the deadly sandstorms to become the promising oasis for those he wanted to survive.”

_The man looked to the edge of the land in every direction as he saw the storms settle for the evening. Everyone didn’t know that storms at the start of the desert were a mere illusion casted by the prince and the storm near the palace had seized during the night when the prince had slumbered._

“He had made it safe across the desert as a disguised traveler at first but he had heard so many stories of a royal family that was the first to enter the storms with their only daughter, their only true treasure, Princess Anja. Their carriage had overturned, leaving young Anja as an orphan as she wandered through the storms alone. The king had found the princess alone on the outskirts of the storms and kept her as a pet for his son for twenty years in hope that one day she would be his bride. Over the years, she had grown into a beautiful woman and on the eve of her engagement, she stood in front of the court in anger, yelling to the king that she would refuse to wed his cruel, spoiled son. When the king’s old heart gave out, the son cursed her, changing her form so no one would touch her.”

_The man stood on the roof, looking across the way to the soft glimmer of light._

“Who was the man?”

Roy woke at the sound of her voice. It was gone in a moment but he didn’t want to chance it.

_“He was a bandit, a land swashbuckler but his days of pillaging were far from over. He had lost the things putrid in his life like his devious crew and his treacherous wench at sea when they left him behind. The joke was on them when he hid his treasures from them. The bandit used his new wealth to feed and help the people in his travels. The still called him The Bandit as he traveled to keep fear struck in those that would hurt the ones that he loved.”_

_“But he didn’t have anyone else.”_

_“True but he helped those in need of him. He refused to be called a hero and stayed as the Bandit. During his travels he had heard of the forgotten princess…”_

_“Why was she forgotten?”_

_“False news had traveled of the princess surviving as a miracle and when the prince became of age, he promised riches to those that survived the harsh deserts, thinking that the princess was the first. Soon people of every class and station dared to travel the storms for the palace to bask in the false riches as the princess, not knowing they were traveling over an elephant graveyard. He had heard rumor and heartbreaking tales of the princess held against her will and knew he had to save her so he masked himself as a wealthy silk merchant and ventured across the storm on his horse. He was lucky enough to survive and was met by the prince himself with open arms.”_

“Did he see her?”

“Don’t worry, I’m getting to that.”

He took a breath and smiled as more words were appearing from behind the curtain.

_“The bandit was only in the palace for one day and the moment he saw her, he knew she didn’t belong. She was indeed a creature trapped in a gilded cage.”_

_The Bandit got to his feet and followed the glimmer across the hall roofs of the palace. The guards below were too busy drunk or marching the ground as he flew across the beams covered in vines. He gave one last mighty leap and rolled to his back as a radiant, strong prism of light floated above his head. There was a shuffle of feet as he rose up and watched her._

_She was in front of his eyes._

_Princess Anja._

_She danced in the solitude of her guarded fortress as she twirled in the moonlight. The Bandit watched her and saw this different version of Anja. Her hair was down, flowing behind her as her arms stretched in every direction. She was as beautiful as she was when she danced on her own in the great hall._

_“I know you are watching, stranger…”_

_He froze, moving away from the window as the twirling footsteps got closer. Her heavy footsteps stopped as she grabbed the metal bars of her window._

_“Why are you hiding?”_

“Why was he hiding?”

“He didn’t know that while she was in her tower, she was watching everything that happened in the palace, including the Bandit that was watching her.”

_“You’re her, aren’t you?”_

_“And whom would I be, stranger,” she asked giggling as if the bars didn’t separate them._

_“The forgotten Princess.”_

_She sighed and moved away from the window. The bandit turned as she sat herself in the chair next to the bars._

_“My apologies, Stranger, but she died with her parents out in the storms.”_

_“I don’t believe that to be true. Tales say that the prince saved you.”_

_“Your stories are false. He told me himself.”_

_“Anja?”_

_She met his eyes, feeling a sense of pity for her, for once not looking at her dazzling diamond skin. Anja knelt down to the window, keeping her beautiful eyes to him._

_“Go home, Stranger. There is nothing waiting for you here.”_

_“What about you?”_

_“I have no home, only my cage of jewels and silks. The prince seized my parents’ land for his benefit. There is nothing left for me.”_

_“I do not have a home either,” he said as she started to move away from the window, “I had someone once but they left me behind with nothing.”_

_“Then you should enjoy your gilded hell here, Stranger. I don’t wish to be saved.”_

_“Why? You don’t belong he...”_

“He’s no hero.”

Roy stopped as he looked to the curtain drawn back as Annie glared at him. Fresh tears were threatening to fall as he sat motionless in his seat.

“What?”

“I told you, everyone told you and I heard she left you here to rot.”

“We’ve both moved on,” he sighed, ready to give her the apology she deserved.

“No. She left you on your deathbed and you tried to kill yourself. You’re pathetic.”

“Annie, I’m, sor…”

“Get out.”

“Pl…”

“Get out!”

She grabbed her glass of water and flung it to the floor on his side of the room. He was able to dodge it but hurt his hand as he fled from the room. Orderlies past by him as Annie began to scream and sob into the morning air. What she was feeling on the outside, he felt on the inside when Isabella chose the leading man over him.

_“You are no hero,” she screamed._

_She had grabbed a vase and smashed it against the wall with all of her might. Her hard fist pounded into the walls, denting them as she screamed in fury. He knew there was no escape for her, whether she accepted the prince or denied him, she would remain imprisoned to her personal hell._

_He watched as guards stormed the room and tore her away from the walls._

_“What is that at the window?”_

_The Bandit moved away and fled for cover as a stray guard moved to the window, seeing nothing._

_“Maybe just a bird. Get her quiet before the prince wakes up!”_

_The Bandit cursed to himself as he made his way back to his room. He closed the door slowly behind him. He must have made quite a name for himself if the forgotten princess knew who he was._

“She should be fine, Mr. Walker.”

Roy opened his eyes as one of the nurses patted him on the shoulder.

“We have given her something to sleep.”

“Is she going to be okay?”

“She has severe bruising on her leg. Mostly cuts and smoke damage but her knee has weakened from the fall.”

“Will she be able to dance?”

The nurse was stunned at his concern as she forced a genuine smile.

“She just needs rest and to stay off of her knee. The doctor’s said if anything, her pride was hurt more than she was.”

Roy sighed and was thankful that Annie’s only reason to live was still alive. If rest was what she needed, he would give it to her. Roy made his way to the courtyard where the blonde walking about, almost suspiciously. He sat on the bench next to his old room as he closed his eyes and heard her voice and that of the studio owner.

“It was an accident, I swear.”

“Dancers are about to be out of work in Los Angeles and over a lead part!”

“That part belonged to me and you know it!”

“I let her go so that you could have me and she could have her dancing. Jesus! Isn’t that enough for you?!”

“No,” she hissed as Roy chuckled under his breath.

He wondered what they would tell the police when they arrived.

“That whore doesn’t deserve a damn thing. All I need to do is find her room…”

“Darling, I have to go back and fix this mess you made. You tell the police what happened when they get here.”

“Please, wait?!”

“Grow up!”

Roy was surprised as he heard the man walk away from the quietly hysterical blonde. When the calm footsteps disappeared the hurried, smaller footsteps wandered off in search of Annie. Roy wasn’t sure of what she was going to get Annie to do when she found her but she wasn’t going to be of much use to anyone sedated.

He listened to the day progress as a few of the dancers moaned in pain and readying themselves to returned home without a job.

 


	4. Truly bound

 

 

The police came, receiving statements of the dancer as they saw nothing but gave their suspicions of the blond. For a moment, it was a song and dance in motion. A dramatic plot of characters, a villain hidden behind the scenes with the chorus to lift the emotions, and then there was the lead actress giving a show to the audience as they feed from her hands.

He smiled to himself, thinking that this was what Alexandria would have done before she would talk to him every day. He found himself looking over his shoulder as the blond stopped talking to police and gave her attention to him. He walked away as fast as he could but not fast enough to rid himself of her before she caught up to him.

“You don’t think I did this, do you? You don’t even know me.”

“Yet, you’re here, starving for attention instead of resting. Some dancer you are…”

He was stopped as the blonde blocked his path.

“You know where she is, don’t you? Oh, you have to tell me!”

Roy pushed her away gently with one arm as she stopped her act.

“You know, I’ve been working in this town longer than you’ve been dancing circles around people to get what you want. I’ve seen Annie dance before, she has never had weak ankles for the life of her and I’m sure she didn’t fall down those stairs. I wonder what would happen when she wakes up in the city hospital tomorrow and tells the police what really happened.”

“I-I…”

“Thought she was here? No. She’s getting treated in a far better establishment than this. Have a good day.”

The blond rushed to the administrator’s office, no doubt with the intention of getting herself into the same suspected hospital as Annie.

He made his way back to his room, feeling instantly calmed as the fan above his turned. The circulated air made his smile as he went back to his usual place in the rocking chair.

He turned his head to Annie’s bed as she looked up to him with tears in her eyes. If she was awake, then she would want to be alone.

“Please, don’t go,” she whispered, “I never should have yelled at you. Everything I did was uncalled for.”

“You were in pain and you didn’t need an audience.”

She was silent as Roy started rocking in his chair again.

“Please forgive me.”

“Only if you’ll let me finish the story…”

“Okay.”

_He walked the halls alone, unable to sleep as he listened to the sounds of slumber. An excited whine caught his attention as the Bandit hid in the shadows and listened to the silenced footsteps._

_“Your highness, please stop this. You are only lying to yourself!”_

_“Don’t you give me orders, snake!”_

_He saw as the scaled dancer followed closely behind the prince as he rolled his eyes._

_“Why are you choosing her when you could have me?!”_

_The prince stopped and grabbed the woman by the throat, pressing her harshly against the wall._

_“Because you are a whore, serpent while she is a princess, pure and untainted as you are not.”_

_“I can give you what she won’t.”_

_The woman reached her hand forward, touching the prince intimately as he hunched over her shoulder. The prince shifted his hips into the woman’s hand as she smiled, knowing she was winning._

_“You will never be her,” he hissed as he licked the outside of her ear._

_“I’ll only be better,” she moaned as the prince began to strip her of her clothes in the middle of the corridor._

_“The Bandit did everything in his power to stop himself from bludgeoning the prince that began to claim the snake dancer. He turned from the growing moans and looked up to the princess’ tower. He stopped in the garden as her light found his eyes. He looked up from the shadows as the princess skillfully slipped between the bars of her bedroom window.”_

_She slowly climbed down from the pillars using the vines to swing down. Anja had landed on her feet right in front of him as he stayed hidden. Anja walked the halls of the palace, avoiding the guard as she made her way to the grand hall. She slipped between the doors, closing them behind her._

“What did he do?”

“He followed her inside.”

_The Bandit was careful in his steps as the princess made her way to her usual place in the middle of the dance floor. She only stood for a few minutes, starting to move at first but then stopping as she huffed her breath. The slightest scuff of his boot made her turn in his direction._

_He was caught as she met his eyes._

_“I did not mean to lash out at you, Stranger.”_

_She slowly looked down to her brand on her dazzled hand as he could feel her sadness._

_“I should not have been at your window. I will leave if you wish.”_

_“No, please stay. You are the only one that has ever looked me in the eyes.”_

_Her abnormal skin no longer existed as he stepped forward to her. She wrapped herself in her silks as he stepped closer._

_“Everyone looks to the surface when they should really be looking into your eyes, then they would see your sorrow.”_

_“Why do you call yourself a Bandit when you are a good man? I can sense no evil in you.”_

_“You know nothing of me, princess. How do you know that I am a good man? I could end your life if I wanted to,” he jested with a slight chuckle._

_She reached up and touched the surface of the red mask with her fingertip._

_“I can see your light. It is… beautiful. Everyone else’s is a blur and dulled because of their pettiness.”_

_“And what of the prince’s?”_

_“He is surrounded with so much darkness that I have not seen his face in years.”_

_“Have you always been able to sneak from your room?”_

_“Only when he is fornicating with the serpent. I wish I knew how to dance as she does…”_

_“No,” said the Bandit as he turned her face to him, “Such impropriety, and you have one thing that she will never know.”_

_“What is that?”_

_“Passion, I have seen you dance, your highness. I have never seen such a thing in my life.”_

_He was saddened when she didn’t smile. She only lifted her nightgown, showing off a metallic brace around her knee. He saw the spikes digging into her skin, threatening to make her bleed if she tried to dance._

_“Then I hope you enjoyed it. I can no longer dance on my own until I accept his hand in marriage. It was all I had left.”_

_Her glistened tears fell as she began to cry. The Bandit hurried forward and embraced the princess in his arms. She sobbed into his coat as he held her closely. The heart in his chest sank as he molded himself to her rough body._

_“I want to die,” she sobbed, “He will never let me go…”_

_“Don’t say that!”_

_He lifted her chin as her tears slid down his glove._

_“He’ll find a way to make me immortal and I will never…”_

_The Bandit pressed his lips to hers to quiet her, filling her with warm as he felt parts of her skin began to soften. He slowly pulled himself away as Anja was frozen in fear and confusion. The normal parts of her skin disappeared and turned back to diamonds, both watching the change as he smiled._

_“It’s your fear that strengthens the curse.”_

_“I am always scared, Stranger.”_

“What was she scared of?”

“Of letting someone close to her. She had known nothing but solitude and cruelty in her life.”

She was beginning to fall asleep again as she toyed with her birthmark.

_“I would never mean you any harm. A man should be able to lift his woman and show her nothing but love.”_

_“I don’t remember love…”_

_The Bandit lifted her and placed her feet on his. He pulled her from the ground, supporting her as he slowly shifted from side to side. She winced at first but grew more comfortable as she smile to the Bandit._

_“If you wish, you will never have to dance alone again,” he whispered._

_Anja looked up to the eyes under the mask as she reached up for the red silk mask. She pulled it away, letting the thing fall to the floor as he pulled her closer. She was as hypnotized by him as he was by her._

_“No good can come of this,” she whispered as he pulled her head closer to his._

_“Then tell me what to do,” he ordered, still pulling her in._

_“I…”_

_She allowed him to kiss her as she was cradled by his hands. She broke the kiss so suddenly as she was confused. He began to let go as she did, pressing her lips harder to his._

_The Bandit knew she didn’t crave death but something to numb her from her pain. He didn’t care what she would truly answer. Come morning, he would sneak her into his linen basket and carry her across the sandstorms and out of reach of the prince. She began to feel so warm against him as her diamonds began to fade away._

_She looked down as her flesh began to reveal itself._

_“I don’t understand…”_

_“You aren’t scared anymore.”_

_“But I am terrified.”_

_“As am I,” he said as she drew him in with her lips._

_“Thank you, my Bandit. I am yours…”_

_The doors thundered open as the palace guards stormed the grand hall. The bandit hid the princess behind him but not before she shot out and attacked the guards. The prince appeared half-naked with a delightful sneer on his face._

_“Arrest them,” he ordered as he stood in the doorway half clothed._

_One by one the guards raced to them as the bandit drew his sword and slashed at the palace guards. The bandit found himself cornered as he saw Anja being dragged away by guards with slash marks on their faces._

“Run…”

Roy looked to the pillow as Annie turned to her back with her eyes sealed shut. She moaned in pain as he looked down to the bruised part of her leg.

“He would be a coward if he ran, Annie.”

“No… Run…”

_“Run,” she shrieked as he turned and jumped into the oasis outside of the window._

_Her voice rang in his ears as he began to flee but he stopped. He couldn’t find it in himself to leave without her, not without the woman he loved. He turned back to the palace and stayed to the shadows as he ran the halls to the courtyard and climbed the vines as he sat hidden under her windows._

Roy heard Annie fall asleep as he got to his feet to close the door.

“I’m sorry ma’am, you can’t be here.”

“I’m so lost in such a big place like this.”

Roy silently closed his door as the blond was heard down the hall. She really wasn’t going to give up until she found Annie. Roy pulled the rocking chair to the door so he would be woken up should someone sneak into their room.

He felt himself as the Bandit, waiting for the moment when someone would storm the room for his princess. She was there the whole time, waiting for him and they both didn’t even know it.

He held her hand tenderly and smiled as he pushed the hair from her face. She was heartbroken and in pain. The only difference would be that he would never be able to have her. One more day, he would leave and she would be gone forever…

She moaned a bit more as she tried to move in her sleep. Roy eased her as much as he could and pressed a wet cloth to her brow. He couldn’t help himself as he lowered his head to her and left a kiss to her cheek. It was warm as was the rest of her skin. He fought like hell to push back the sudden feelings he held for her as he moved his lips further to her own and kissed her lips.

He stopped, knowing it wasn’t fair to push something like this upon her as he got to his feet and sat in the rocking chair, facing it to the wall so he wouldn’t have to face the reality of what was laying in front of him.

 

 


	5. Entangled

 

He sat watch at the end of the hall as Annie was woken up and talked to the police. He ate his dinner in silence, listening to the police.

Annie was in a relationship with the studio manager while the blond was a chorus girl. Time had passed when Annie had found out he was sneaking around with the dancer but she let him go so she could put all of her work into her ballet.

There was supposed to be a grand production at the end of the month with European teachers to scout for fresh material. Annie worked effortlessly to perfect herself as much as possible while the blond was busy sabotaging the other dancers for her benefit.

She tried to take Annie’s part away from her but an argument arose as the blond attacked Annie. They had struggled, knocking over one of the lanterns, which caught fire to one of the stage drapes. The studio was on fire in seconds as the blond swung a metal pipe to Annie’s leg, causing her to fall down the stairs.

Annie refused to go on any further as she began to get upset. Roy overheard them say that the blond woman earlier fled the hospital and would be found for questioning. Her new hospital room would be guarded for her protection but she was to rest for the night. Roy was taken from his thoughts as he was given medicine for his almost healed wrist.

“Just think,” he said peeling the bandage from his hand, “Tomorrow afternoon, you’ll be able to go home.”

“Yeah, imagine that…”

He would go home, start his job again as studio executives promised and live his life again, without Annie. She would heal and travel the world without him but she would be happy doing what she loved and that would be enough for him.

The cops left but he stayed outside the room for the better part of the evening. He pushed around the stew that was to be his last meal in the hospital. A friend had come and told him everything, the apartment and the dog was taken care of and waiting for him when he got there. He didn’t care. He waited, counting the minutes until Annie had fallen asleep. Out the corner of his eyes, he would see one of the nuns spying on him but whenever he looked up, she would be gone in a flash without a proper look at her.

Perhaps they all wanted a look of pity to the dancer with everything taken from her. Roy huffed his breath, not wanting to wait another minute as he walked into the darkening room. The sun could be seen disappearing over the edge of the hospital as he sat on his bed. He was going to get a good night’s rest and leave early in the morning without saying goodbye to Annie. He felt it was better that way or else he would have gotten down on one knee and begged for her to stay with him but it wasn’t what she deserved.

Roy pulled off his shirt and was taken by surprise as the sound of her quiet sob made him turn. Out of instinct, he rushed to the other side of the room and flung back Annie’s curtain. In the evening light, tears streamed her face and red dots spotted her cheeks, her from crying for so long.

“Annie, I…”

He sank to his knees and joined in the bed with her as he wrapped his arms around her. Annie sobbed as he comforted her the best he could.

“He-He chose to be with her…”

“Shh.”

“I only got the part because he chose her and she tried to take it away. I didn’t deserve anything…”

“Stop it!”

Roy had snapped her head up to get her attention. Fresher, more grieving tears fell between his fingers as he looked into her eyes.

“You don’t need him or her or any of them. You can dance anywhere as soon as you are healed.”

“Once they know who I am, they’ll only turn me away and think me as a problem. Why do you care, Roy?”

It was the first time she had said his name out loud and was the most beautiful thing he had heard.

“Someone should.”

“Like who? No one’s cared to know me…”

Roy sighed and turned her head again, this time gentler as he kissed her lips. Annie was taken completely by surprise as she allowed Roy to hold her in his arms. He slowly pushed himself back across the small bed as he looked into her deep blue eyes, surrounded by the sea of red from her tears.

“Wh-What happened to the princess?”

“You should sleep, you leave tomorrow…”

“No.”

Annie had grabbed onto his shirt to keep him from moving away. She turned, nearly twisting her leg as Roy stopped her and joined her again. He helped Annie turn to her side as he laid underneath her for her comfort. She placed her hand on his chest as he kept his eyes to the dark ceiling as the fan blades spun slowly.

“The Bandit waited in the high rafters of the ceilings and kept his eyes out for the princess. He had sacrificed his horse to the storms as the guards followed. They returned hours later with only the horse with no rider to the saddle, thinking he had perished in the storm. He kept his eyes to the tower to the guards moving her things. After a while, he got closer to her room and saw that the guards were moving her jewels, her silks and most of her things out of the room, leaving her with close to nothing.”

“Why?”

“The prince decreed that Anja was to be with nothing until she came around to take his hand in marriage, even if it meant she was to be truly caged for the rest of her life.”

“What did he do?”

“He raced for her…”

_The Bandit’s heavy boots hit the roof as he ran to the princess’ window. He stopped as the last of the guards left. He turned seeing the door swing open as the prince stepped in and survey the room in simple delight._

_“Bring her.”_

_Two guards dragged in what looked like Anja as her diamond skin had vanished. She was thrown to the floor as the sight of her made the Bandit want to jump from his hiding place and expose himself to the room._

_Anja sobbed and turned to her side as her back was covered in lash marks, blood stained her beautiful silks as they stuck to the dripping blood. The prince stepped forward to her and pulled her up to her knees by her hair as she cried more._

_“I am done with waiting, my princess. I will take you as mine tomorrow and you will not refuse.”_

_“I will, I will always…”_

_“No need, your beloved savior is dead. Only his horse was retrieved, the sands have claimed his life.”_

_“YOU claimed his life,” she roared to him, “Just marry your whore and leave me alone to die!”_

_The prince licked his lips and wrapped his fingers around her throat._

_“I shall have anyone I please, as is my right. You both will bear me children if I wish but only you shall be my faithful wife, to do with as I see fit. She may be my plaything but I will break you and may you pay for everything, your ungratefulness, for my father. We should have let you die in the storm. You should be happy to be alive.”_

_He gave Anja a hard, playful swing on her back where the worst of the lashes were as she howled in pain. The prince got to his feet and left with the rest of the guards, leaving Anja to her silence._

“That bastard…”

Roy kissed the top of her head as he saw that her tears stopped.

_The bandit took off whatever he didn’t need, his jacket, sword, and boots. He tossed his satchel into the room and carefully began to slip himself past the bars of Anja’s window. He ran to her as she sobbed on the floor._

_“Anja,” he whispered silently._

_Anja looked up to him, sobbing worse as she tried to reach up for him. She bit back what moans she could as the bandit rolled her to her stomach. The bleeding in her back had stopped but the wounds were deep and monstrous on her skin, her clear human skin._

_“He-He said you were dead…”_

_“Hush, mi Anja. I am here and I will make sure you will never hurt again.”_

“Promise.”

“What?”

“Promise us, Roy.”

Roy looked to Annie, seeing the pleading in her eyes.

“Don’t make her beg me, Annie. I will always promise that nothing will hurt you.”

She smiled as tried to push her sadness down.

_“Listen to me, Anja! I will never let him touch you again! Now take this…”_

_He pried open a vial and brought it to Anja’s lips. She swallowed the liquid whole, coughing as she began to steady her breath. The Bandit slowly and carefully pulled her into his arms where she rested flat on his chest. He sat on one knee, balancing himself and Anja as he fiddled in his satchel for his stiletto. He held the small, clean metal in one hand and slowly cut into his palm with the other. He closed his hand as tightly as he could, letting a slow trickle of his blood drip down her back._

_“What are you...”_

_“I have lived on the sea for many years. The salt in my blood will help heal what he has done to you.”_

“It wasn’t him. The serpent found her shackled and… He heard Anja’s cries and watched wickedly as she continued…”

Roy let Annie talk as she finally came to peace with herself.

_He held her closely as he saw the wounds slowly close on their own. She whimpered as the flesh closed beautifully leaving only the drying blood on her back. He reached for his whiskey to clean of her back as she winced at the smell. He used the torn silk to wipe her back clean. The Bandit marveled at how beautiful she looked now that the prince had taken away her diamond skin but the branded seal still remained on her hand._

_Anja pulled her hand away and tried to move on her own, not realizing how weak she had become._

Annie tried to turn in the bed but hissed as her bruised knee hit the wall.

“Stop,” said Roy as he put his pillow under leg.

“Wait,” she said keeping his hand on her knee, “Your hand is…”

“A-Am I hurting you?”

“Your hand is cold, it feels better.”

_She moved closer as the Bandit stripped away the silk and wrapped her in the jacket he retrieved from the window._

_“I can’t let you stay here, Anja.”_

_“I know but…”_

_“I would die to make sure you got to safety.”_

“That’s stupid.”

“Why,” asked Roy.

“Because,” she said moving closer to him, “If he really cared for her, he would do everything in his power to make sure they both got out alive…”

“Is that what you want, to want to live? This is as much your story as it is mine.”

“I want her to be free, to be happy.”

“What about you, Annie?”

“I don’t know…”

Roy caressed the side of her face as the Bandit did to Anja. She was so beautiful as she looked up through her tears.

“I will see to it that you never cry again.”

_“Promise,” she asked as she looked into his eyes._

“I promise,” whispered Roy as he took Annie’s face into his hands and placed a gentle kiss on her lips.

She sighed as Roy slowly turned her to her back. The sound of each blade that passed matched his as it began to race.

_The Bandit showed the greatest care as he placed Anja on the floor. He could no longer hold himself together as he braced himself over her._

_“I can’t, Anja…”_

_“Please. I need you.”_

“Just say the word, Annie.”

“Please, Roy…”

“I love you, Annie. I’ve always thought of you. It pains me to see you like this now.”

“I know…”

“You are too beautiful for anyone else and I want you to see that. Can I show you how beautiful you are?”

_“Yes,” whispered Anja as she kept her eyes to the Bandit._

_He slowly peeled away his jacket from her naked, shaking skin._

_“Tell me to stop and I will, Anja. You have my word.”_

“Okay,” said Annie as Roy kissed her again.

He could feel her let herself go as he pressed his lips to the side of her neck.

_The Bandit was nearly shaking as his lips traveled farther down her body. He claimed her lips one last time as Anja slipped the jacket from her arms. He knew the diamonds would never come back to her skin as he was greeted with the warmth of her flesh. He stripped off his vest, leaving Anja to marvel at the nearly naked sight of him. Scars littered his skin as she took her time to look at each individual one._

Roy pulled at Annie’s night gown, kissing the top of her chest as his hand slowly traveled her side. The dead heat of night made Annie’s skin sweat and it was nearly addicting to Roy as his lips traveled down her skin. He was tender and gentle, making her feel as she should have been treated all along. He was careful to mind the bruised part of her knee.

_He pulled the blade from his belt and moved to Anja’s brace on her knee._

_“Try to stay still, mi Anja…”_

Roy pulled her knee over his shoulder and kissed her stomach, waiting for the moment when she would snap out of herself and tell him to stop.

_The Bandit found the stitching under the metal and slashed it open as the brace slowly feel from her knee. The sharp metal spikes rained down to the floor as Anja hissed as the wounds on her knee._

Roy formed his hand gently at Annie’s bruise, letting it cool under his touch.

_The Bandit opened his cut a little bit more to fully heal Anja’s leg._

_“You are free,” he whispered._

“Thank you,” whispered Annie as she looked down to Roy.

Roy only smiled and kissed the inside of Annie’s raised thigh. He inched up slowly, tasting more of her skin.

_She has to know, the Bandit thought to himself._

_“Will you let me care for you, Anja? Will you let me tend to you?”_

_“Yes,” she said in a single breath._

Roy slowly peeled up the edge of Annie’s nightgown, showing off her calves, then her thighs as they refused to resist him.

_He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life as he kissed closer and closer to the inside of her thighs. He pulled her weakened knee over his shoulder and stopped near the edge of her core. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of her, she was more than he could have expected._

_He lowered his head to her and swept his tongue to her skin a single time as she nearly jumped from the floor._

Annie’s gasp filled the room as her hands scrambled for something to grab onto. She wanted to cry at how gentle Roy was treating her. A moan escaped her as his finger slowly traced her lips. His mouth was too busy as he pushed his finger slowly into her. He did his best to keep himself and Annie under control as her hips began to buck. There was so much of her that he wanted to savor.

_Anja’s moans were growing as the Bandit pulled his finger away and tasted more of her. She was unbelievably wet as he thrusted his tongue into her. She covered her mouth with her hand to make sure not to raise an alarm with any nearby guards. She was quickly molding to the floor and the Bandit’s arms as held open her shaking legs._

Annie grabbed at the mattress first at her sides, then to the pillows as her head thrashed. Why was this happening to her? She never had anything good happen to her in her life. Nothing so wonderful and blissful and… Annie wanted to cry out as Roy’s hand slowly molded to her breast. She slowly rocked into him and clutched his hand to let him know what she really wanted.

_The Bandit stopped and pulled himself away, not wanting his lust consume him as the princess began to move._

It pained Roy greatly as he moved up Annie’s body, kissing whatever flesh revealed itself. He pushed off his pants and let them fall to the floor…

_…as Anja braced herself on her arms._

_His lips kissed the curvature of her breasts. He cradled her as she did him and looked down to her one final time._

“Roy?”

_“Tell me what you want, Anja.”_

“I want you…”

It was all Roy needed to hear as he reached over to his bed for a pillow to brace under her knee. He settled between her legs and was completely lost in her as Annie pulled him into a kiss. Roy pulled the gown from his body and looked to Annie as the bits of moonlight danced on the mattress.

He groaned in pain at how much he wanted Annie, how much he needed her. It was a moment that has refused to run through his head as he aligned herself with her core and pushed his hips forward.

_The Bandit wasn’t ready for the sharp nail marks that dug into his back as Anja’s eyes widened. Her gasp for breath was the most stunning thing he had ever heard as he thrusted himself forward, careful not to hurt her should she have been untouched. It was difficult for him to stay in control as she was not only tight but wonderful around him._

_He buried his lips into…_

…her neck, panting and kissing as Annie’s whimpers nearly made him feral. He pulled himself up and pressed his forehead to hers as he held on to his arms.

She was there in his arms. He felt like such a fool for letting her get away and there was no way he was going to let her go. He needed her as much as she wanted him. There was no way he was going to leave her with that blond out for her.

_She was nothing compared to the serpent. This would take so much energy from them but as long as they departed by morning and took a horse from the stables, they would be long gone into the illusion before the prince woke. For the time being he looked down to his princess, keening and mewling as her eyes tried to focus on him._

“I love you, Roy,” she panted as opened her tears filled eyes.

_“I love you, Anja. I will never let you go.”_

Annie smiled to Roy as her tears of joy fell to the bedspread. She whimpered as her head fell back to the bed. She clutched the bed underneath her as she started to go weak.

_The Bandit braced his arm until Anja as her body seized up to him. She panted for breath as he felt the edge of his release so close._

Roy held her close as he befell the peak of his release. With a last few thrusts, he stopped and looked down to Annie.

_Her beautiful brown hair, stuck to her face as she tried to regain her breath. Her sweat rolled down her body to his coat under her. He pulled her into his arms and wrapped the large trench coat around them as he has held her close._

He wasn’t sure what was going to happen when they woke in the morning but Roy would have to be out of the bed before the nurses showed. He had to be awake when the food truck first arrived in the morning.

_The storms near the edge of the grounds had quieted down as the Bandit sighed knowing the prince was finally in a safe enough sleep. He pushed the strands away from her face as she smiled up to him._

_“Thank you, my Bandit,” she whispered._

_“Anything for my princess…”_

“Roy…”

Annie was too weak to say anything else as she fell exhausted to his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her temple as his eyes began to close.

_In a few hours, he would do everything in his power to get her away from the evil out to get her. Her scent was intoxicating as he saw her knee was healed. He closed his eyes and waited for the moment when they would make a break for freedom._

There was no way he was letting her go.


	6. A great escape

The Bandit turned in his sleep with the princess in his arms. She held him close as he looked down her back. The lash wounds were gone and her skin remained clear and free of the princes’ curse.

Roy woke as he was pressed to Annie’s back. Parts of her nightgown were still disheveled as he slowly pulled himself away and fixed her so it would raise no suspicion with the nuns. He redressed himself and packed the rest of his things to his suitcase as he remembered the last few months and the previous week that followed.

He took a moment and looked out to the ice delivery truck that had arrived so early in the morning. He could hear Alexandria’s voice.

_“I do not want to leave this place.”_

He didn’t want to either but it was time for him to move forward from everything. The past would be behind him and he would have Annie. Roy flexed his wrist, feeling the soreness close to subsiding. He returned to Annie’s bedside as she rolled to her back. A smile appeared on her face since the first time he saw her. He smoothed her hair back to the pillow and tucked the sheet around her the rest of the way. He took her hand one last time and kissed her birthmark.

“I need to break my promise to you for a minute,” he whispered to her, “It may have been your medicine talking and your grief but I don’t want you leaving thinking that you’ll be alone when in fact that you’ll never have to. I want to apologize. I feel that I rushed you into something you were not ready for, so from now on, I only want to stay with you as a friend until you feel otherwise. I’m going to have a talk with the administrator and then I’ll be back before they take you. I love you, Annie and I always will.”

Roy kissed her and got to his feet before he heard the doctors arriving in the courtyard.

The room was filled with silence and the spin of the fan overhead as Annie opened her eyes. She pressed the pads of her fingers to her lips, still feeling Roy’s warmth. She’d never been filled with so much happiness in her life. All the lonely years of the orphanage and scraping by in life with only acquaintances washing away as she remembered Roy’s words.

_I love you Annie, and I always will…_

She turned to her side, pulling up Roy’s pillow from her knee as she brought it up to her nose and inhaled his scent. Behind her eyes, she saw her Bandit…

_Anja heard their breathing echo from the walls as she looked up to her Bandit. On the surface, he seemed so rugged, a man beaten savagely by life and toughened by his will to live on. She discovered a soft spot on the side of his face, stroking him as his eyes opened to her touch._

_“Would it be the worst in the world if I say I never wish to move from this spot with you here?”_

_“Oh, my dear Bandit. As much as I would love to, I would rather be away from this place before the prince awakens.”_

_“True,” said the Bandit as he pulled them to their feet and looked to the dawn as it began to peak over the east pass._

_They’d be seen for sure but as long as Anja was well out of the prince’s clutches, she’d be safe._

_“Come.”_

_Anja only wrapped herself with little of her silks, using her curtain ties to hold the loose fabric of her Bandit’s jacket while the Bandit himself dressed in his own clothes. He looked back to her, drawn into a daze at the sight of Anja dressed in his clothes._

_“What?”_

_“Nothing. You just look quite ravishing dressed in a bandit’s garb.”_

_“Perhaps we will be recognized in these ensembles.”_

_“Perhaps you are right, no one would suspect merchants leaving the ground with everyone preparing for a wedding.”_

_“Perhaps,” she nodded to the servants in the courtyard arranging their master’s wardrobes for the wedding._

_“A bandit princess indeed,” he whispered as he slipped through the bars of the windows with Anja close behind him._

-

Roy waited for seemed like hours as he waited for the administrator. He was sure to choose his words carefully ever since the incident with Alexandria hurting herself because of him. He sat on the bench outside of his office, skipping breakfast so that he wouldn’t be missed. The portly man hobbled into the main block with a handkerchief to his already sweating face.

“Well, well! Look whose back from the dead!”

“It’s good to be back, sir. I was wondering if I could speak to you for a moment, just a minute.”

“Good, a minute is all I have. What can I do for you?”

“It’s about Miss Hollis.”

“You want to know where she is to be transferred next.”

“Yes, sir. She…”

“Has no one. Yes, I was informed. I can do nothing for you Mr. Walker. She belongs to the company if it is a company anymore. The studio manager refuses to get on the phone with me about the other dancers. His check cleared but he won’t face his dancers especially that damn blonde.”

“I wish to take her in as a guest to my home.”

“I’d rather have her word for it, Mr. Walker. Even if she is moved to another hospital, they may only allow family members in her room and I’m sure you would not pass for her brother.”

“I understand,” he felt himself unsure of how to stay in contact with Annie if he wasn’t allowed to visit her, making his promise to her worthless.

“Mr. Walker, did you hear what I said?”

“Perfectly clear, sir.”

The administrator sighed as he tossed the handkerchief to the desk and stood up straight.

“Mr. Walker. My records are all tied up from the studio’s fire and the dancer’s information is all a blunder. The ambulance doesn’t come for another two hours and won’t leave without my signed permission. Should she have been a married woman, then her husband would be more than welcome to accompany her to where ever she was headed, even taking her home when she was well?”

Roy was nearly shaken from his feet as he realized what the administrator was willing to do for him.

“Think of it, Mr. Walker, as a parting gift. You have been quite a character during your stay here. The nearest jeweler opens in an hour and from the amount that I heard came into your possession will do more than provide a stunning ring for her finger. Hurry on, Roy. She will be here with the paper work when you get back.”

“Thank you, I…”

Roy wanted to shake the administrator’s hand but fled out the door in a flash. A few of the nuns backed away and watched as he ran down the street towards the city. Many of them looked to him, wondering where he was going with the exception of the blonde nun that adjusted her uniform every few seconds. She looked around to the hall still unable to find which of the rooms belonged to Annie Hollis. She kept her composure as she set for the chapel to wait for Mr. Walker’s return.

-

Roy ran as fast as his feet could carry him as he was barely a minute away from the hospital. He stopped at the jewelers, not realizing that he didn’t have any money so he ran clear across town to the bank and withdrew what he need. He had never felt so much air fill his lungs in all his life. With two rings in hand or rather wrapped packaging, he kept his eyes west towards the hospital. He stopped for breath, cutting down the back hallways and up the back stairs to Annie’s room as she barreled into the room. Annie nearly jumped from her bed as Roy startled her.

“What in heavens?”

“Annie,” he panted.

He got to his knees and rested his head on her lap.

“What happened? Why were you running?”

“I’m sorry for hurting your feelings back… on the movie set. You were right…”

“It’s okay, I already forgave you.”

“We need to talk about what happened last night.”

“Do we?”

“Your next hospital may not let me come along with you.”

“Why not? I don’t know anyone else and I hate writing letters.”

“I was serious when I said I loved you but… you were asleep…”

“No, Roy. I was awake, I heard everything.”

Roy was speechless as he took her hand.

“You did?’

“Yes and I should slap you for just wanting to be my friend. I’m not sure what I feel with you, Roy Walker but I don’t want to be without you.”

“I thought you’d say that,” he grinned as he unwrapped the box on her lap, “I know how this may seem but this is only if you want me with you.”

Annie kissed Roy’s cheek and held his hand.

“I’ll always want you, my Bandit.”

“All you have to do, Princess, is wear the ring and agree to this temporary union so I can tell the administrator so that the paper work can be in order.”

Annie reached into the box and slid the smaller ring to her finger.

“You had better get a move on then.”

Roy wrapped his arms around Annie and kissed her as he laid her back on the bed.

“I’ll be right back, I promise.”

Annie held his hand as he moved from the bed and out the door, leaving it ajar. Roy clamored down the stairs and past the chapel as the blonde nun looked up by chance. There was the man. Where ever he was heading, Annie would be with him as she sent forward, keeping her head down as she followed the man to the main block.

Roy burst through the door as the administrator was sitting at his desk with the paper work.

“Well?”

Roy lifted his hand with the faux wedding band with the biggest grin on his face.

“Her name is Annie Walker but her stage name is Annie Hollis. She agreed.”

“Well congratulations, Mr. Walker. Let’s get your wife ready to go and out of that disgusting North room. Did you know they used to put the put the bodies that didn’t fit in the morgue up there?”

“No, but now I do.”

“So do I,” whispered the blonde nun to herself as she slowly made her way to the north room where Annie was.

_Anja followed behind the Bandit, staying to the shadows as he reached out and grabbed a set of clothes belonging to one of the other guests. The Bandit folded his clothes and refused or at least tried no to watch the princess as she slipped into the tight gown belonging to the mistress._

_“It’s too tight,” she complained._

_The Bandit smiled as he knelt before her and tore the dress up to her thigh. Anja held in her gasp as the Bandit licked his lips._

_“Better?”_

_“Yes,” said Anja as she coiled her hair under a shawl so she would not be recognized._

_She took his hand, unable to let go as they made their way to the royal stables. Their disguise proved successful with servants thinking they were guests as they were left to their own devices. Anja was quick to grab a saddle and help her secure everything into place. He wandered the stable taking anything they could use on their journey._

_The Bandit stood on the edge of the stable grounds and looked to the east pass as a darkened mist formed near the closest way out, meaning only one thing. Anja took notice as she left the horse and stood next to the Bandit._

_“What’s wrong?”_

_“He is waking up.”_

_“Then let’s go before the guards see…”_

_“Don’t you see, Anja? With the prince alive, I can’t guarantee your safety.”_

_“What are you saying?”_

_“We… I need to kill the prince.”_

_A clap of thunder filled the sky as the grounds shook. The pair jumped as the princess shrieked. The Bandit wrapped his arms around Anja to calm her._

_“He’s awake…”_

_“I will take care of him, Anja. You stay here until the storm dies down.”_

_“He’ll kill you!”_

_“Not if I kill him first,” said the Bandit as he hid his pistol in his robes._

_Tears formed in Anja’s eyes as she grabbed onto the Bandit and pulled him down for a passionate kiss. He could feel her fear._

_“You come back to me, that’s an order, Bandit!”_

_“As you wish my princess. Lock the doors behind me.”_

_She nodded and did as she was told. The Bandit hurried among the other servants and guests through the halls of the palace as some were concerned with the growing storm and others were in a worry of what to wear to such a prestigious ceremony. He stopped and looked into a random room where seamstresses were nearly done making Anja’s wedding dress._

_The howling wind of the storm lifted the lace bits of Anja’s dress as a few of the servants barred the windows shut. The Bandit looked towards the direction of Anja’s tower seeing the clouds darken but cease as the guests turned their eyes up._

_“Thank goodness, now my dress won’t be ruined from the rain.”_

_“Just in time for the wedding.”_

_“Guards!”_

_The Bandit was force along with the other guests as they followed the screams of the servant girls near the main hall. The Bandit climbed a stool to look over the crowd as he looked to the prince slaughtered with his blood painting the walls. He was partially dress, clutching a bit of Anja’s silk in his hand._

_There was panic as the guests were pushed back from the princes’ dead body. The Bandit smiled, glad that someone did the deed for him but felt his blood run cold as a shimmer of scales caught his eye. A trail of blood dripped from the knife in her hand as she raced in the direction of the stables._

The blonde kicked herself for not following Roy sooner. He was the only man not to be swooned by her charms as she climbed the same stairs she had the previous night. She smiled to the orderly.

“Good morning, Sister. You lost?”

“No! I’m retrieving something.”

The young orderly got to his feet and stopped in front of her.

“There’s nothing down here for you.”

The young man gasped as he felt something painful in his side. He looked down to the scalpel clenched tightly in the blonde nun’s hand as blood stained his white uniform. The blonde pulled the sharp tool from the man and pushed him back to the chair he was sitting in. She was gracious enough to drape a dark quilt over him as she smiled.

“You all should know better than to stay in my way.”

She kissed his forehead as he groaned, drawing in what breath he could as the color drained from his face. She straightened herself and looked down the next hallway to the only door.

Roy was on top of the world as she made his way from the main block. He looked up to the room above the morgue as Annie braced the windowsill while she got to her feet. Her smile filled him with happiness as she caught his eye. There was nothing to stop him. His eye shifted to the nun slowly making her way down the hall. There was something oddly familiar about her when she looked over her shoulder to him.

_He met her eyes and ran as fast as his feet could carry him. Anja heard the winds stop as she looked out to the east pass which was as clear as day. She grabbed the horse and flung the doors open as she was greeted with the snake dancer._

“Hello, Annie.”

Annie didn’t hear Roy yelling her name as she leaned to the window sill for support.

“What the hell are you doing here, Patricia?”

“Only cleaning up my mess that Cedrick wanted. He left because of you, you know. He’s been seeing someone else and I don’t understand…”

“You of all people should understand.”

_“I tried to convince him, to give him the world, what you were to pure and righteous to give him.”_

_“I didn’t want to give him anything but a knife to his throat and it has already been done,” she said with a hand held high for her Bandit._

_“Yes,” said the serpent as she raised the bloody knife to her skirt and wiped off the blade, “and I’m doing the same for you.”_

“I didn’t do anything to you, Patty.”

“Cedrick gave you everything and left me high and dry. With you dead, I won’t have to face the electric chair.”

The blond lunged forward as Annie stepped out of her way and hopped to the door. The blonde launched herself on top of her and wrapped her fingers around Annie’s throat as she tried to breathe for air.

_The Bandit leaped over the dead bodies of the guards that had tried to stop the snake dancer as he turned the last corner for the stables. Anja clawed at the serpent’s scales as she tried to fight her off._

Roy screamed for help as he saw the orderly dead in the chair with blood dripping to the floor. He planted both of his feet into the floor as he barreled into the room and pushed the blonde to the ground. A loud ping was heard as her head hit the edge of the metal railing of Annie’s bed.

_The Bandit lifted her to her feet and led her away from the stables as she gasped for air._

“Someone help!”

“Enough!”

The blonde raised her hand, ready to stab the both of them as Annie turned in his arms.

_They both looked over their shoulders to the serpent as she raised Roy’s pistol in their direction. Anja jumped in front of the Bandit as the gun fired._

Annie took Roy’s hand bracing her weight on her good foot and kicked her foot up swiftly into the air as she struck Patricia in the face with a chorus line step.

_The serpent cried out in pain as the bullet hit her shoulder. The Bandit opened his eyes, seeing Anja’s diamond skin resurface with barely a clip to her skin. She sighed, nearly fainting in the Bandit’s arms as her skin faded back to normal._

The blonde hit the wall with a loud thud as she slid to the floor unconscious. Annie shook as she fainted in Roy’s arms. Orderlies rushed to their aid seeing the scene unfolded before them as Roy held Annie tight.

“Wake up, Annie.”

_“It’s all over now. Please wake up…”_


	7. Everything has changed

 

One year later

 

Her body was quickly going back to its original form as she spun on her feet. Her partner caught her with ease as he lifted her into the air. She reached up to the heavens and she was placed gently on her feet as the music of the piano ended. Claps filled the room as Annie bowed to the instructor and her partner.

“Magnificent, Darling! That will be all for today! Everyone go home and pack, the boat leaves in six hours and it is waiting for no one!”

Everyone rushed to the door as the instructor reached for Annie’s hand.

“The seamstress will be coming with us to work on your costumes.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“Not with your tits out to here,” he teased as she swatted his shoulder.

“Honestly, Antonio. I never hear my husband complain in such a way.”

“Just know that you need sleep and there was a room large enough for you and yours.”

“We don’t need a big room.”

“Too late, it’s already done.”

Annie hugged Antonio, heading out the side door and down the roads to the rented cottage that was hers. She felt that was still so much to do as she pushed open the small wooden door. She was greeted by Spot as she checked the luggage again, just to be sure that everything was as it should be.

_She barked orders over her shoulder as the crew followed her down the docks._

_“And keep the sails clean, I don’t need any muck on the decks.”_

_“Yes, ma’am.”_

_“Make sure there is plenty to drink and that the supplies are tied down.”_

_“Aye and I’ll double check, if needed.”_

_“Good, let’s get a move on! Sails up in the hour!”_

_The crew scrambled in every which direction as she looked for the Captain. He was still nowhere in sights but he was a busy man, always finishing tasks before they left port. She watched as the crew scattered. She looked over her shoulder to the ship as she closed the door behind her. The darkness of her cabin settled her as she undid the front of her trench coat._

She looked around, finishing each of the suitcases as the bedroom door silently opened.

_She stopped at the wardrobe and slipped the long jacket from her shoulders and placed it on the hook. An arm shot out from the darkness as Anja was lifted from her feet. The door was kicked shut as she was slammed to the wall._

_“Hello, Princess.”_

_Anja threw her elbow up and hit the stranger in his cheek as she turned her skin to diamonds. She knocked him to the ground and pinned him to the floor with a blade to his throat.._

_“Hello, my dear Red Bandit.”_

_She turned her skin back to normal as the boat rocked her to the ground on top of him._

_“You are getting quicker,” said the Bandit as he rubbed the side of his jaw._

_She grinned as his hands wandered the back if her loose shirt. Anja bent over the Bandit, leaving a kiss to his lips as she straddled him._

Annie jumped as Roy wrapped his arms around her.

“Everything is ready to go,” he whispered as he kissed her cheek.

“The boat leaves in five fours, I want to get there early.”

“We’ve been getting ready for days, Annie. I promise that everything is good to go…”

“Where is Alexander?”

_A cry erupted from the cradle on the other side of the cabin as Anja waved her finger teasingly._

_“Now look at you going and waking up our little monster.”_

_Anja was on her feet and rushed to her baby as he wailed under his blanket. She lifted the infant from his crib and soothed him as she knew how to. The Bandit appeared behind her as the baby’s eyes opened to his parents._

_“My apologies, little Alexander Wallace. I was only playing.”_

_The baby smiled to his father as he tried sucking on his little fist._

Annie rocked her son as Roy pulled the rocking chair from the pile of items. Roy was able to work on one last movie before they left with the company that Annie was accepted to. After she gave birth to Alexander and with the support of Roy, she quickly regained her place back on the floor of an east coast dancing company.

They had been preparing all week to pack their things and join the rest of the dancer as they toured the world, beginning with England as the first stop.

_He left Anja and their child alone so he could be nursed as he reviewed the ships journey back to the seas. They had stayed on land since Anja was carrying their child and was ready to venture out into the world once more.. Alexander took no time at all to finish nursing from his mother as she held him against her chest and sing him back to sleep._

Roy wiped the sweat from his head as he returned home. Everything was put in their room with exception of his family and the rocking chair his newborn son enjoyed. Annie was asleep on the bed with the baby when he returned. They had a good couple of hours left but she did want to get to the boat early.

“Annie?”

He shook her awake as she rubbed her eyes.

“What happened?”

“The neighbors are going to take us up to the docks. It’s time.”

She smiled and wrapped her arms around Roy as he kissed her and lifted her from the bed. Annie grabbed the baby as Roy grabbed the rocking chair with the dog close behind him. They looked over their shoulders one last time to their first, but really second empty home as they closed the door behind them and head to the docks. The dancers and crew were already arriving, wondering what to do with themselves as Roy and Annie boarded the ship. They were placed in a second class room that was almost as big as the room they shared in the hospital.

Roy placed a basket on the outside of the room and let Spot get comfortable in his new bed.

“Stay,” he whispered under his breath to the dog.

He yawned and curled up in his basket as Roy shut the door behind them. Annie looked around for the steadfast bassinette as Roy pulled it from the small pile of their belongings. He set it between the wall and a dresser to keep it from moving while they were at sea. Roy minded the baby’s head as he lifted the baby in his arms.

_The bandit lifted his son in the air and made silly faces to him as he giggled in return. He rocked the baby softly in his arms. He turned his head into his father’s touch as he gently placed him in his cradle._

_“Sleep well, my little prince…”_

_He looked back to the bed as Anja began to fix her shirt. He tucked the blanket around Alexander and looked up to his beautiful wife._

_“Leave it…”_

“Antonio made it seem like a bigger room. It’s so humble,” she smiled over her shoulder to Roy.

He chuckled as he stepped behind her. He pushed the hair away from her shoulder, leaving a kiss to her neck.

“I’ve never seen you so happy.”

She turned in his arms taking him by surprise at her swiftness.

“You are right, the last year has counted for nothing,” she teased.

“My goodness, what was I thinking?”

“How comfortable the bed must be? It’s the one thing you haven’t taken your eyes off since we’ve gotten here.”

“That’s not entirely true,” he whispered as he toyed with the buttons on her dress.

_“I miss you dressed in silks but something about you donning a Bandit’s leather leaves a terrible thrill in me.”_

_“Is that so?”_

_The Bandit shed his coat and his vest as he crawled the luxurious bed to Anja as she slowly started to untie the front of her shirt. The Bandit straddled her legs as he helped her pulled the worn clothes from her body._

Roy lifted Annie from her feet as she held in her laughter so the baby would stay asleep. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he held her and carried her to the bed. The shift in the springs were quieter than usual, meaning that the bed was new and just waiting to be broken in. Roy pulled the buttons of her dress apart as he was slowly greeted with the sight of his wife’s soft skin.

_“I surely can’t be the only one that’s bare,” teased Anja as she pushed her Bandit to his back and pulled at his trousers._

_He was only able to pull them down a part of the way until Anja climbed his lap and gridded against him. He turned her into the disheveled sheets and growled into her skin as he pushed off the last bit of his clothing._

Annie pulled his shirt off and tossed it to the floor beside them. He bent over her, kissing the salt of her skin as she pull him closer to her. More than anything, he wanted to hear her voice but he didn’t want to ruin it by waking the baby.

_The Bandit was always famished for her, no matter how much of her that he had. He slowly pushed into her, nearly consumed by her heat as her head fell back to the sheets. She dug her nails into his skin as he filled her and panted into the shell of her ear._

_“Always so hungry for me, my princess?”_

_“Yes,” she gasped._

Annie bit her lips to keep herself quiet until Roy claimed them. Every time he had her, she was still so beautiful and he knew he couldn’t be without her. Nearly a year later and she was his wife and the mother to their beautiful baby boy.

“I wish I could hear your voice, my Annie…”

She whined as he pressed his thumb to her to get her to break, most of the time, she didn’t.

_Anja silenced herself the best she could but the heavy footsteps on the deck helped drown her out. The Bandit held her close as he dragged the top of his tongue across the canvas of her full chest, only suckling her soft enough to make her back arch._

_He could feel her close as he sharpened his thrusts. The Bandit sucked at the same spot on her neck that made her go weak as her body started to melt under him._

“Roy,” she whined softly.

He pulled the sheet over the side of her neck and bit down as he quickened his hips. With Annie always dancing and always in costume, they found many ways to hide their new appetite for one another. He wrapped her legs around his waist and felt Annie tighten around him as she grabbed the sheets underneath her.

_He held her up with a single arm as the other anchored him to the sheets. Her back arched her body into him as he snapped his hips into her release. He met his own as he latched onto her neck and sank his teeth in. It would be another beautiful mark to show the world that she was his._

_He groaned as he stopped and lowered them to the musty sheets as he slowly waited for her to drift back to him._

Roy came, emptying himself into Annie as he shuddered into the crook of her neck. He braced himself on the bed, testing the shift of the boat as he pulled himself away from Annie. Her eyes fluttered open as she rolled to her side and wrapped her arm around Roy’s waist.

“The springs are new,” she mused as she kissed his lips.

“Indeed they are but it’ll only be a matter of time before we go back to the wall.”

“I think you need to find your sea legs first.”

“The thing that is needed is rest. There’s another two hours before the ship departs.”

“If you say so, dear.”

Roy looked over to the bassinette, hearing the quiet mumbles from Alexander and wrapped the sheets around him and Annie as they slowly fell asleep…

_Anja opened her eyes and kissed her Bandit’s heavily scarred stomach._

_“Have you ever been out to sea?”_

_“I don’t remember but I can’t wait.”_

_The Bandit pulled his woman up and kissed her lips, nearly letting his hunger for her take over again as he stopped and pushed the hair from her eyes. He looked to her wrist and smiled._

_“There’s a little bit left.”_

_“So there is. Are you ready?”_

_“Always.”_

_The Bandit reached for the knife in his boot and placed the blade into the flame under the lantern as it heated. Anja took her usual place behind her Bandit as she wrapped the sheet around her body and gave him her wrist. He smiled at the work he had done to the prince’s brand. One more time of burning and the blackness would disappear completely from her hand, leaving the diamond form to heal her._

_He pulled the blade and looked over his shoulder to her. She nodded and held on to him. The Bandit held her arm steady and quickly pressed the hot blade to her skin. Anja sharply whined as she pressed herself into his back._

_“Do it if you must, Anja.”_

_She masked her next whine as she bit into his shoulder. He took her pain as he pressed the knife to her again. He pulled it away and cooled the surface of her skin with a kiss. Anja looked down to the burn as the diamonds in her skin made the last of the brand fade into a large birthmark that canvassed her wrist._

_“It’s perfect,” she sighed as she kissed the side of his neck._

_“Now, now,” he said reaching for his clothes, “We are ready to depart. Would you care to join me?”_

_Anja took his hand and reached for her own clothes._

_“Always, Captain.”_

_They redressed and where on the deck in no time. The Bandit stayed cold to his crew as he barked orders to all sides of the ship. The scurry was comforting as the sails began to pick up on the wind. With the plank removed and the ropes pulled back onboard, the ship began to move out to sea._

_The Bandit was whole again as he took the wheel and steered to open water. The morning sun began to raise as he looked over his shoulder to his wife, lifting a hand to her as she accepted it. She moved into his reached as he moved her between the ship’s wheel and himself._

_“Here.”_

_He molded her hand to the wheel as he helped her, kissing her as she smiled._

_“Is it always this beautiful,” she whispered to him._

_“Always…”_

_He kept one hand at her waist and the second on the wheel as they slowly sailed for the promising horizon._


End file.
